Railroad-tie.



PATENTBD AUG.. 14', 1906.

W. H. APPBNZBLLER L D. A. HOUSE.

RAILROAD TIB.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.10. 1906.

'IINI'IE sfrAfr Es PATENT OEEIOE.

.WILLIAM II. APIENZEL'LER, or GREENVILLE, OHIO, AND DAVID A.

HOUSE, or' INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

RAILROAD-TIE.

'Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 14, 1906.

Application led February 10, 1906. Serial No. 300,489.

To all whom t may concern:

railway-bed.

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. APPEN- ZELLER, residing at Greenville,Darke county, Ohio, and DAVID AI HOUSE, residing at Indianapolis, in thecounty of Marion and State of Indiana, citizens of the United States,have invented new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Ties, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad-ties, and particularly to structuralfeatures for preventing the tie from slippingeither in the di-y rectionof its length or longitudinally of the I The tie also includes aparticula; key means and fastenings therefor to hold the rails inreliable connection with the tie and avoid the use of spikes or otherfastenings and permitting the rails to be detached at any time desiredand replaced by others in the event of wear.

The obj ect of the invention is to provide a simple and effective tie ofa strong and durable nature which can be manufactured at a comparativelysmall cost.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of a tie embodyingfeatures of the invention and showing rails held therein and illustratedin cross-section. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a portion of the tie andof one rail. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section through a portionof the tie and rail as shown by Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a transverse verticalsection through the tie at the point of location of the rail-seat. Fig.-5 is a detail perspective view of one of the rail-securing keys. Fig. 6is a detail side elevation of one means for securing the rail-securingkeys against movement after such 'keys are inserted in the tie.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts throughout the several views.

The numeral l designates a tie-bodyvwhich may be of any suitable lengthand width proportionate to the gageof the railway andthe weight of therails held thereby. l The base of the tie is formed with a series ofcorrugations vor transverse cavities 2, extending fully thereacross inregular sequence and providing means to prevent the tie from slippingout of place in the direction of its length and also reducing the use ofmaterial in the manufacture of the tie. rlhe opposite terminals of theupper curved walls forming the coneavities 2 intersect the opposite sideedges of the base of the tie at sharp angles, and the body of the tiebeing solid gives the necessary weight to the tie structure to renderthe cavities effective in preventing the tie from slipping after it isdisposed in operative position. At intermediate points and at the endsthe vtie-bodyy has recesses 3, extending longitudinally thereof andsloping from a base 4 inwardly and upwardly to the top of the tie. Infact, the opposite sides of the tie-body are sloped or inclined inwardlyand upwardly, as clearly shown bv Fig. 4, to permit the tie .to be heldin stable position when disposed on the road-bed by the dirt or ballastarranged in contact with opposite sides thereof. The longitudinalrecesses 3 also lighten the tie or reduce the amount of material in themake-up of the tie without materially detracting from the strength ordurabliity of the latter.

Adjacent to opposite ends the tie is formed are vertically straight, asat.7, and are also formed for the remaining portions -of their lengthswith inclined slots or recesses 8, which project inwardly and outwardlyin the respective inner and outer side walls. vertically-straightportions 7 and recesses or slots 8 in the side walls of the seats 5 arein reverse position in the opposite'walls, each slot 8 at one endopening out through one side of the tie close to the seat With which itcommunicates. The side walls constructed as set forth are adapted tohave locking-keys cooperate therewith, and each key is of the form shownby Fig. 5, it simply being neces- The y sary to reverse the key end toend to adapt it for application to either side Wall. The key has aninner angular recess 9 to fit over the upper side of the base-Harige ofthe rail and a Harige 10, extending throughout a ortion of its length toengage the slot 8L T e base of the iiange and a portion of the body ofthe key, as at ll, being horizontally fiat +o bear upon the base-wall ofthe seat 5, that portion of the key which is clear of or without theflange 10, as at 12,v contacts with the vertiv the rails with the tiescally-straight portion 7 of the side Wall, and the upper face A13 of thekey Will be fiush with 4the upper portion of the tie adjacent to therail when said key is properly inserted in position in the seat.Furthermore, when the key is inserted in the seat in engagement with therail-flange the outer end of the flange will be flush with the side ofthe tie through which one extremity of the slot I8 opens,'or, in otherwords, the key snugly lits in' the seat and is llush with the adjacentto the rail.

There are many means that could ed for holdingr the keys or wedges, asshown by Fig. 5, in immovable position in the seats or to insure areliable retention of the rails in said seats. lt has been found,however, that the best means consists of a screw 14 let into the outerportion of the slot 8 in each instance and engaging an adjacent part ofthe key. Another means which is adapted to be used in conjunction withthe screw is a clamp 15 (shown in detail by Fig. 6) and having hookedterminals 16 to respectively engage an opening 17 in one end of the keyand a corresponding opening in the opposite side 0f the tie. Either ofthese securing means may be readily removed and the keys driven out inthe event that rails or for other purposes. In assembling the rails arefirst disposed in the seats 5, and the keys are then placed in position.and secured.

The improved railwaytie will be found to possess many advantages, and itis preferred that the same be constructed of metal, though othermaterials may be used, if desired. lt will also be understood that thekeys and securing means therefor Will be of metal and by use of theparticular key-fastening means the employment of spikes or other devicesof like nature for securing the rails to ties is avoided.

opposite sides of the tie be adoptit is desired to replace the' thetie-bod adjacent to the opposite ends of the latter.

2. A railroad-tie having rail-seats in the upper portion thereof nearopposite ends, the side walls of said seats having slots extendinfythroughout a portion of the length thereof and in reverse positions,keys insertible in said seats and provided Wi th Hanges engaging saidslots, and means for wholly securing said keys against movement. I

3. A railroad-tie having a body with railseats inthe upper portionthereof near the ends, the side Walls of said seats being slotted 'for aportion of their length and also vertically straight for the remainingportion, keys insertible inthe said seats and having flanges to engagethe slots and vertically-straight portions to bear against theverticallystraight portions of the side Walls of the seats, and meansfor holding the keys against movement.

ln testimony whereof we affix tures in resence of two Witnesses.

. llVILLIAM H. APPENZELLER.

DAVID A. HOUSE. Witnesses:

FRED E. BARRETT, C. R. CAMERON our signa-

